Dear brothers and sisters, peace to you in the Lord!

 Thank the Lord, after 3 short-term mission teams finished their evangelistic  trip on September 19 , the second busiest season of the Center each year was over.  The Center’s  co-workers are back to their regular ministries and we will soon focus on preparing for the 3 meetings in the  winter.  After praying before God, we have decided that the Winter Conference,  December Discipleship training, and January Bible Camp will be held in persons.  Some registration forms are already available online and some will be out soon.  We urge you to reserve the time to attend and invite the brothers and sisters in your church to attend too.  

 The Victorious Soldier

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-18

The recent withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan turned into a disaster, with at least a dozen U.S. troops killed by the Taliban, and the loss was so great that it was arguably the most ugly U.S. withdrawal since Vietnam.  As we evaluate the reasons for the failure of the withdrawal of U.S. troops, let’s also look at what Christians can learn from it in the spiritual warfare with Satan.

First, Hasty Withdrawal. Going home is the ultimate goal for U.S. forces, and they set a deadline of withdrawing from Afghanistan by August 31st. This is a great spiritual reminder. In Book of Ephesians, Paul  tells us that as the soldier of the Lord we need to put on the full armor of God which includes: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace,  the shield of faith,  the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit so that we can take our stand against the devil’s schemes.  All these armor parts given by God are placed in front of the soldiers, meaning that God’s army can only move forward, not retreat, in the battle field with the enemy. Turning back will be shot by the flying darts from the enemy with no defense. Turning back is a man who looks back with a plow in his hand, who cannot enter the kingdom of God, that is, cannot enter God’s victory, will surely fail.  Therefore, in God’s war, we must constantly rely only on the power of the Holy Spirit to face the battle.

Second, No Distinctions between Friend and Enemy.  In this embarrassed withdrawal, the United States had hoped to become a partner with the Taliban group, through negotiations expecting that both sides would uphold the condition of agreements in order to end the war, and therefore was not prepared to continue to fight the Taliban. But it turned out the so-called partner is actually still the enemy.  Aren’t we the same in the spiritual battle?  Because we do not truly know our enemy Satan, we are easily lured by him to befriend to the world and sinned, this is the beginning of our spiritual fall. Paul reminds us that in verse 13, “ Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Many times, Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, but in reality, he is looking for opportunities to attack us.  May the Lord help us not to give in to the temptation of the devil, but to stand firm to the power of God defeating the devil.

Third, No Clear Understanding of the Enemy. On the surface, the Taliban agreed to cooperate with the U.S., but deep down they are hostile against the U.S., let alone the U.S. military, because their ruling of the country was toppled by the U.S. and was at war with the U.S. military for 20 years.  Although pretending to be friends with the U.S. and agreed to negotiate, they try to find an opportune time to attack the U.S. military. This is also telling us that we need to understand our enemy’s heart. Satan always pretends to be nice and friendly, but his evil motive is to tempt us to sin against God. In Ephesians 6:12, Paul also tells us: “ For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  We need to have a clear understanding about our enemies, that they are very powerful, that they are the rulers in the heavenly realms, that we are fighting against the spiritual forces of evil.  May the Lord help us to recognize the crafty plot of Satan, be watchful, and not fall into its trap. Today, the moral degeneration of the world is getting worse day by day, the moral principles have been bankrupt: there is no distinction to male and female; no clear standard to right and wrong.  Especially in the past year or so many unbiblical laws and ideas have impacted our society, and even our families have been corrupted. At this time the Church needs to be the beacon to stand firmly on the Lord, and pray fervently to the Lord for a heart to distinguish right from wrong, Truth from falsehood, and can rely on the Lord in all kinds of difficulties as a good witness.

During the pandemic, we have been all sheltered in our house, although the house can separate us from the virus, but doing that cannot separate us from the enemy’s attacks, we are still facing the spiritual battles every day. Satan deceives us through Internet or TV shows, or seducing us in our thoughts and mind to think of things that should not be thought of, and do things that the Lord admonishes not to.  Staying at home, we still gossip, criticize our fellow believers, and attack the church.  May the Lord help us understand that if we are not on alert, Satan can easily attack us, for “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  May the Lord help us watch and pray, meditate on His Word so that the living word of God removes the evil thoughts from within.

Many churches have reopened, but far fewer people attend in-person gatherings each week. More than half of the congregation still choose to go to online services which is also a spiritual battle we are facing. Except for the sick or elderly, most of us should be able to come to church in-person. Let us not give in to the “laziness” the enemy has put in our heart, and ask the Lord to help us come to the Church every week to worship Him. We need to be reminded that if we only want to meet via Zoom and not going to church in person, we have been subject again to a yoke of slavery from Satan, for it is his evil plot to keep us from receiving joy and blessings from above with the congregation during in-person worship service in church.  It is pleasing to God when brothers and sisters worship together in one heart and mind.  Let us stand firm as the soldiers of God, overcome the fear of the virus, come to the house of the Lord together to worship Him, glorify Him, in the meantime, encourage and support each other to live a victorious life for the Lord.

(Will continue next month).

 

(The ministry report below was written by Sister Cindy Chiang)

Everyday we will update Pastor Ko’s  most up-to-date situation. Please go to https://rb.gy/2m3v1a,  this link to check. We also welcome you to join this 24 hours unceasingly prayer chain.

Please join our online Bible study and prayer meeting every Sunday at 6:30 pm.  The Zoom ID  is 8110999917, and the passcode is 737903.  Let’s read the Bible and pray together.

 

Coming Meetings:

 (1) December Winter Conference

• This Conference will be held at Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center from December 22nd to December 26th, 2021.  The speakers are Rev. Caleb Huang, Rev. Tsu-Kung Chuang, Rev. Peter Chin, Mrs. Alice Chin, Elder Eric Wu, and Albert Yip, etc.  Please set aside the time and prepare yourself to attend.

(2) December Disciple and Coworker Training Camp:

• This camp will take place at CWC from December 26th, 2021, to January 1st, 2022. The speakers are Rev Larry Wong, Mrs. Alice Chin. Partial contents will be “The Gospel shared by Jesus—the Book of Mark” and “God’s pleasing Worshiping life—the first 4 Commandments from the 10 Commandments”. Registration form is available on the center’s website (Please click here).  Please set aside the time and prepare yourself to attend.

(3) January Bible Camp:

• The Bible camp will take place at CWC from January 2nd to 8th, 2022. The speakers are Rev. Daniel Shen and the CWC coworkers.  We will study the Books of the Minor Prophets.  Application form and the syllabus are also  available on the Center’s website (please click here).  Please set aside the time and prepare yourself to attend.

(4) Holy Land Study Trip 

• Theme: Exodus of Egypt to Canaan, The Footprint of Jesus (6/20 – 6/29/2022)
  For many years, brothers and sisters love to attend the Bible Camp to study the Word of God.  If we can physically visit those Bible lands, we would have more profound impressions.  For this reason, the Center holds the “The Holy Land Study Tour” every 3 years.  Since we will study the Pentateuch in the next August Bible Camp, therefore, this Holy Land Trip in June will be very meaningful.  Let’s make an advanced notice now and please get ready to join us.  We will take the route from  Egypt, enter into the Jordan Kingdom, cross the Jordan River into Jerusalem,  travel to Judia wilderness, then Samaria (very few tour groups will arrange this route), enter Galilee and fly back to the United States from Joppa (now Tel Aviv).

 

RVICS (Roving Volunteers in Christ’s  Service) ministry at the Center

RVICS is an evangelical organization headquartered in Texas.  They encourage all the retired brothers and sisters in the United States who still have the physical strength to serve the Lord.  They drive their RVs ( many of which are their physical homes), bring their own tools, and go to different churches, camps, and schools in need to help voluntarily. In the past thirty years, they have come to help us almost every two years.  This time there are five couples, from October 4th to 26th, spending three weeks working at the Center, mainly to complete the children’s activity center.  For this, we thank the Lord. Pray the Lord to watch over them in the Center, not only for their works to be effective, but also to have time to rest and study (they have daily devotion, weekly Bible study), and also ask the Lord to keep them safe (most of them are grandfathers, grandmothers ages).  The motto of RVICS is: “Be Ye DOERS of the Word and not HEARERS only” (James 1:22).  Every time they come, we are encouraged by them. Hope that one day the retired Chinese brothers and sisters  can learn from these American brothers and sisters, get out of their comfort zones, and serve the Lord everywhere.  For their love of God, God will surely bless them greatly.

 

Prayer Requests

(1) Thanksgiving for September Short-term mission teams:

• We thank the Lord that during the 10 days in the Mid-West, they travelled  from the US, Canada border of Minnesota to the south of  Alabama. These three California and Texas short-term mission teams have borne many fruits for the Lord.  Please  continue  to pray for each church to follow up this ministry.

 (2) For CWC Coworkers:

•  Pastor Ko and Mrs. Ko:  The cancer cells had spread to his liver, spine and adrenal gland. From early September, his oncology doctor  planned to have 3 rounds of  chemotherapy. However, it came to a pause after 2 chemotherapies due to his  reaction to the strong medication.  He has rashes and feels extremely itchy.  Currently he is under dermatologist’s care before continuing.  This chemo treatment that targets to  kill all the cancer cells is very crucial.  Pastor Ko and Mrs. Ko is still in St. Louis. Please pray earnestly for them. Also pray for Mrs. Ko who is caring for him but herself has her  own thyroid problem.  They need all your prayers.  Please also continue to pray for Pastor Ko’s eldest sister who is in Hongkong that she will experience God’s peace and healing through chemotherapy for her lung cancer.
•  Sister Cindy Chiang:  After returning from the September mission trip, she has resumed her office work on weekdays and church and fellowship ministry on  weekends. Please pray to the Lord not only  to give her wisdom, mental and spiritual strength, but also use her every day wisely.  Starting from October, she needs to concentrate on organizing  the three  meetings in the winter. May  God bless the works in her hands.
• Brother Qing-Long Liang: Pray that he can balance his life among family, churches, and the CWC campus ministry.  Pray that his wife has wisdom and strength to take care of the families, his  3 children have obedient and pursuing hearts for  the Lord.  Pray for his ministry in Columbia, MO, Kirksville, MO, and Fayetteville, AR.  May the Lord use him to preach the truth of God faithfully and lead people to follow God’s Words.  Also pray that he would have more opportunities to lead the disciples and  grab every chance he gets to share the gospel.
• Rev. Charles Huang: Pray that his whole family can have good coworking with  Champaign Chinese Christian Church  on evangelistic ministry.  In October,  he will lead a  series of Sunday schools, preach at Champaign and Springfield (Illinois) churches,  and do the marriage counseling. His wife will start to have sisters prayer meeting with the sisters at the church.  At the pandemic period, Pastor Huang plans to have steady in person meetings on campus.  Pray that God helps his children with their English learning and adaptation to the US culture and the schools in this new environment.
• American coworker Scott Jerome: Pray for the maintenance coworker and his family.  Especially this month, he will cowork with RVICS five couples on the construction. May the Lord bless the works in his hands. Also pray for his  two daughters in college.

(3) For the expansion project:

• Pray for the construction of the children’s activity center. May the Lord watch over Pastor Harold Shull’s safety at work, the progress of the project, and pray for all the financial needs. At the end of  September, he  had a heart attack. Pray the Lord to heal and protect him.  Also pray for his coworking with RVICS five couples on the construction of the children activity center in October. May the Lord use their hands to accomplish many works.

(4)  For financial need:

•  Pray for the monthly financial need for CWC. May the Lord show His abundant provision and let more people experience the blessing of giving.

(5) For CWC:

• May the Lord touch and lead more new coworkers to join CWC’s ministry so that various ministries in the Midwest may thrive.

(6) For churches in the Midwest during the pandemic:

• We have seen  more and more churches resume in-person meetings.  Pray God to give brothers and sisters brave hearts to serve Him diligently in churches, resume the evangelical fellowship, and share the Gospel with non-believers. May the Lord use the vaccines to effectively control the pandemic around the world.  Although Delta variant has been rampant in recent months, brothers and sisters can still fearlessly come out to serve the Lord.  Pray  the Lord to give the church co-workers wisdom to know God’s will and lead the churches at this time. May the Lord heal those who are infected, not only physically, but also set free their heavy hearts. By the name of Jesus, let us walk the path of victory.

 

Emmanuel!

 

In Him,

Billy Ko (Director)